There is a lot to cover on Wednesdays. We should know, as collectively, we read an insane amount of comics. Even with a large review staff, it’s hard to get to everything. With that in mind, we’re back with Wrapping Wednesday, where we look at some of the books we missed in what was another great week of comics.
Let’s get this party started.
8House 3: Kiem
Written by Brandon Graham & Xurxo G. Penalta
Illustrated by Xurxo G. Penalta
Reviewed by Matthew Garcia
Brandon Graham and Xurxo Penalta open the scope with the next movement of “8House,” moving us to the city of Eurthum in the Kingdom of Stone. Penalta handles the illustrations and conjures this fascinating and gorgeously rendered other world, one part Omashu and one part Mos Eisely. If the first segment of this series, ‘Arclight,’ bore more of a sorcerer/explorer vibe, ‘Kiem’ strives for something more science fantasy. We’re also starting to see the themes and motifs developing in the overall narrative — these explorations of identity, body swapping, duty, and place.
After a brief reprieve, Kiem returns to her unit of astral projection warriors as they inhabit these dead bodies in space suits to confront an enemy of some other house on a distant comet. Following the battle, Kiem finds herself summoned by an unknown force and tasked with a quest she doesn’t entirely understand to deliver a package to an enemy house.
Immediately, it’s clear Penalta has an entirely different sense of pace and place in both the narrative and the frame. While ‘Arclight’ was softer, quieter, and more mysterious, ‘Kiem’ boosts up the wonder of the wider world and the claustrophobic undertones of a more lively city. Penalta has a great eye for detail and scale (his character designs also reminded me of Otomo), making the landscapes and vistas and skylines all the more impressive. Like Marian Churchland, he’s an immersive artist and there were times where I wasn’t paying attention to the plot because I was so caught up in the setting. The ending is somewhat abrupt, though, and those last couple pages feel like a hiccup in the overall feeling.
“8House” still strikes me as a more quiet and sensual series, and this first part of ‘Kiem’ maintains that feel. But it’s a metropolitan quiet of tuning out all background noise rather than the quiet of no sound at all. So it feels like part of the shared world while also moving like its own thing.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – another fascinating entry in an equally fascinating universe.
Figment 2 #1
Written by Jim Zub
Illustrated by Ramon Bachs
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
Last year, Marvel’s “Disney Kingdoms” line launched, bringing a series of books out based on various attractions at the Disney theme parks. “Figment” was the line’s biggest hit, in part because it featured the most recognizable character, but also because the team of Jim Zub and Filipe Andrade brought something really unique to the table, allowing the book to go deep down the well of meta-fiction, and present a book that combined a scientific mind with a youthful heart. The book was a joy to read, and one of the finer all ages comics released last year.
Now, “Figment 2,” a second miniseries is launching, and Andrade is gone, replaced by Ramon Bachs. Bachs has a much cleaner line than Andrade, which fits the time period and setting that this story takes place in. Whereas the first miniseries was set in Victorian London, this takes place in modern day Florida – sadly, not the fun/horrible, meth-addicted, real-life superhero playground, but a fictionalized faux-Epcot Center. Bachs’s smooth, cartoon-inspired work pops off the page, giving the more fantastical elements a spotlight, while keeping the grounds of the institute and many of the characters a grounding that makes things like, you know, a purple dragon, seem appropriately out of place.
Because this is an all ages book, some of the conflict feels a little simplistic and on the nose – such as the current administrator of the institute being the fuddiest of duddys – but all of that is just window dressing to tell a story that is relevant for all of us – what do we do when doubt inhibits our creativity?
Continued belowZub is clearly at home in this universe, and takes an approach to these characters that feels very personal and yet grandiose. His handling of Dreamfinder, in particular, shows both the heart and the heartache that the character has felt over the years. A man of great successes and major failures, Dreamfinder is a true analogue for the creative inside all of us, at both inspired and terrified. I’m interested to see where Zub takes the characters, and how the modern day setting will work over the course of this mini.
Final Verdict: 8.1 – The book picks up right where the first miniseries left off, but is also accessible to new readers.
Green Arrow #44
Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Patrick Zircher and Fabrizio Fiorentino
Reviewed by Keith Dooley
The origin of Oliver Queen’s mysterious canine, George, is told in “Green Arrow” #44 without much excitement or intrigue. Although the art and coloring are beautiful, Benjamin Percy’s script lacks any sense of importance or revelation. It is more of a set-up for further explanation instead of pushing the story further ahead. Besides George’s drawn-out origin, there are also some cliché moments between Ollie and his friend. This feels like a fill-in issue before the next storyline and is unfortunate because the previous issues have been an excellent exercise in mood and expression of a tone through words and art that held the reader’s attention. Although these flaws mar the issue, it’s still mostly well-written and could just be a small blip in Percy’s tale.
“Green Arrow” #44 is bookended by the realistic, detailed, and gorgeous art of regular series’ artist Patrick Zircher. His art is reminiscent of a cleaner Garry Brown, with Ollie’s facial expressions swirling with so many conflicting emotions. Zircher brings Ollie to life and clearly understands and loves this character. He also draws an intimidating yet lovable George. Fabrizio Fiorentino’s art, however, is less detailed and dynamic than Zircher’s art. He illustrates George’s origin with little passion and appears rushed at times. Moments that are supposed to feel visceral don’t contain as much impact as they were intended to in Percy’s script. Fiorentino’s art is serviceable and unexceptional when the issue calls for it to be that and more.
Colorist Gabe Eltaeb’s palette, however, is lovely throughout and appropriately dreary. Blood-soaked bodies are messy red blots while the blood dripping from wolves’ mouths drips horrifically. A psychic’s work room is ethereal, shrouded with misty lighting, and illuminated with candles that belong in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. He transforms both artists’ pencils with his attention to detail.
Although “Green Arrow” #44 is not the best of Percy and Zircher’s run so far, I’m still interested to see where they take Ollie next on his journey. There is definitely a different tone to the story and art than the previous creative teams. I look forward to seeing where they take this volatile and complex character in the following chapter.
Final Verdict: 6.0 – Although there are some revelations about George the dog, this issue is probably not an essential one.
Imperium #8
Written by Joshua Dysart
Illustrated by Doug Braithwaite
Review by Ken Godberson III
“They call me a villain. Fine, then I choose selfless villainy over selfish heroics.”
This sentence from Toyo Harada to the god-like entity Divinity sums up not only the thesis behind “Imperium” but Harada’s character as a whole. I know we have an overlying plot points like the growing Foundation Zone, Rising Spirt and such, but at the end, this is Valiant’s best book because of Dysart’s magnificent character work. Each character is fully realized in both overt ways and subtle ways (there is something incredibly about Broken Angel saying the words “Children. Fascinating.”) This issue can come off as a bit confusing because it’s dealing with time jumps and chronal anomalies. My recommendation is to read issue #7 and this one all in a single go. The events do make sense if you’re willing to step up to the challenge.
Scot Eaton delivered his strongest issue yet (you know, just in time for a new artist to come on the book, of course). Since one of Divinity’s powers deals with time distortion, Eaton implements a, what I can only describe as, kind of “screen hack” on the page to signal time beginning to distort. It’s a very good visual cue that I enjoyed. I also have to applaud the use of the comedic “beat panel” where we see Harada, Gravedog, LV-99 and Sunlight on Snow’s reaction to another horrifying thing that Broken Angel says. It shows way more about some of these people without the need for dialogue. My final take on the heart is the work with Harada himself, Eaton being able to gracefully shift from the man’s arrogance at the beginning to his weariness by the end.
Continued belowOne final touch: it was nice to see CAFU, the artist starting with issue #9, illustrate the three page epilogue at the end here.
Final Verdict: 8.3- “Imperium” puts character work ahead of its plot to incredible effect.
The Woods #16
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Michael Dialynas
Reviewed by Michelle White
“The Woods” has come a long way. From its hyped-up release — which made us imagine a palette-shifted “Morning Glories” in space — to its tumultuous first arc (ziggurats! toothy creatures! alien forces beyond our comprehension!), to now, it’s managed to carve its own devious path and occupy a unique space in our minds.
The characters now have a complex history and an even more difficult present, having established a compound around their high school and come to understand a little bit about their planet’s resources. These include mind-altering substances, which are proving to be a political force, and in such a small community, with so much to lose, politics are becoming crucial to survival. James Tynion’s writing still tends toward opaque moments — bits of dialogue that you come to realize the significance of a few scenes later — but these preserve the forward momentum of the story rather than hamper it. This world is beginning to cohere in an interesting way, imposing all sorts of new limits on its already trapped characters and pushing the established order to a breaking point.
Michael Dialynas has always had great character work, and he continues to do a wonderful job of keeping the large and diverse cast recognizable and relatable. The creatures and villains, as always, steal the show, with this issue affording us a closer look at a villain with an intriguing, otherworldly design. And of course, everyone’s favourite six-legged monkey thing, Dr. Robot, gets a few creepy-adorable panels to himself. But the best visual moment of all is a hallucinatory flashback sequence, with Dialynas emphasizing the surreal and grotesque in the proceedings and colourist Josan Gonzalez leaning into the yellows. And speaking of colour, for some reason, the appearance of a bag of blue popcorn during a screening sequence got a laugh out of me. This is a dark story indeed, but the underlying sense of whimsy to the art cuts through the heavier stuff beautifully.
All told, these woods are more dangerous as ever, with the human beings of Bay Point proving even more treacherous than the glowing monoliths. You have to be in for the haul with this kind of slow-moving world-building, but the menacing atmosphere and twisty plot keep the pages turning.
Final Verdict: 7.5 — Well-thought-out storytelling with a central concept that still intrigues.
